Happy!

In the spirit of using this blog to celebrate all the greatness in my life, I just had to share this JibJab video I made of my wonderful family - all except my Papa unfortunately (it would only let me have 5 people so I made it for him instead!) - being Happy! I love it! Enjoy :)

Science Week!

Morning!

I have decided that I love the Easter holidays. Not like. Lurrrve. If I could, I would fill the room with little heart bubbles.

I love that:

• I get to spend time with my family (especially my Maman this time round - it was so lovely!);
• I get to spend time with MJK;
• I have time to mindlessly catch up on my favourite shows (seasons 1 'thru' 5 of the Good Wife anyone?!);
• I have time to do some work and that...
• This work does not need to be frantically catching up or preparing for the next observation or marking huge piles of books or worrying about testing;
• This work can focus on reading up on other people's ideas;
• This work can be creative;
• This work can definitely involve ideas from Pinterest!

I love this holiday!

As part of all this creative fun, I've been focusing on/playing around with 2 things mainly. Firstly, our Science Week!

We're running this straight after SATs. I am so excited! The kiddies deserve a treat after all this push and I can't wait to share some of the amazingly fun activities with them. They will include:

Cholera day!

I know. The look on your face is probably exactly the same as the one my colleagues pulled when I told them! But it's going to be awesome! It is the brilliant idea of my co-blog-author, Miss Helen Peck and she is a scientist extraordinaire so.. 'ya know. 

They are going to be Victorian children living in Soho at the time of the big outbreak (August/September 1854) with a character card each and spend the day in role working out the cause of the disease. Drs Snow and Farr will each be presenting their theories and the children will have different sources (interactive, fun, drama-based sources!) to work out what is happening. I can't wait! If you're interested in having a go yourself - click the screenshot for the download of the plan.

We'll then have a day focusing on each of the following scientists:

• Marie Curie
• Isaac Newton
• Galileo
• Charles Darwin

(I am super excited for Darwin Day but keeping the lid closed on that for now! Be prepared for greatness!)

Anyhoo, lots going on that I'll share with you in the upcoming weeks! I'd like to leave you with the the song we made to arch over all our topic - there was much hilarity in trying to come up with some of the lyrics! For a while there, we got a little stuck on Marie Curie with...

"Won Nobel Prizes,
Then my husband dies-es'.

Glad we managed to step away from that one! Anyhoo, as we learn about one scientist, we'll learn their verse/chorus. I encourage you to sing along out loud rather than just in your head! 

{sings} "I throw my hands up in the air sometimes, singing Ayo! I'm Galileo!"...

8 months later...

Hello!

Well, firstly I'm...

I started this blog in the summer term with full intent, dedication and excitement. Unfortunately, I slacked terribly and dropped everything waaaay back in August! Who does that?!

Anyhoo, I'm back, on Spring Break (or Easter holiday as we call it in good ol' UK) and eager to get stuck back in. I've just ordered my new Erin Condren Life Planner (eeeek!!) and am so super excited to receive it and get my life back in organised mode - hence trying to catch back up with this blog.

Against better advice, rather than making my blog topics teaching only, I'm going to use it as more of a catch-all to focus on my new goal of spending as much time on my wellbeing, health and loved ones as I do on my job. Incidentally, I'm hunting for a snazzy, catchy phrase to sum that up and use as a mini-mantra to keep me on track. What do you think of these?

I wonder if 'you matter' is perhaps a little self-involved? 'A lovely life' seems so apt though - that is what I already have and what to change my choices to make even lovelier!

If you have any ideas, please do post them in the comments below. I'd love some feedback and thoughts!

I'm now going to tail off to clean my kitchen - step 1 in making better home choices :) I've actually been following FlyLady's website recently and my lovely Maman and I have prepped everything ready for a fresh start for zone cleaning. Let's go!

Chat very, very soon.